For the second game in a row, Sidney Crosby is held pointless by a Northwest division team.
His penalty shot after Aaron Miller pulled him down on a breakaway was just wide. Roberto Luongo got his glove on the puck to prevent a rebound.
Overtime ended with the puck on Crosby's stick, but a second too late for him to make a wraparound attempt.

Does the Nucks' lack of legitimate triggermen ever show up in the shootout. Thankfully, for the most part, it is a team game.

Mr. Linden though - talk about a true clutch player - that is why he still wears a Canucks uniform. If only he were 10 years younger.

Good for Sabourin. Always did like him in his time here. Also very nice to see the Penguins playing out west. Too bad we only get to play them once or twice a year - looks like there could be some real rivalry there if given a few more games.

There was indeed a massive standing ovation for Luongo, as fans walked out on his third shootout loss of the season. The shootout is apparently not among Alain Vigneault's special teams strategies. The only saving grace? The Pens are an Eastern conference team, so the point they took away will not harm the Canucks' standings.

Buzz:
Rookie Kris Letang upstaged his superstar teammate Sidney Crosby and gave the Pittsburgh Penguins a 2-1 shootout win over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday. Letang, 20, also scored the determining goal in Thursdayâ€™s 2-1 win at Calgary.

Sid Watch:
Crosbyâ€™s first game in Vancouver went like this: one shot, two missed shots, a minor penalty and five of 16 in faceoffs. His first shift ended with a high stick to the face from Willie Mitchell, who got the gameâ€™s first penalty. Crosby was 0-for-two in penalty shots on Roberto Luongo. He missed a chance to end the game with 2:29 left after Aaron Miller pulled him down on a breakaway. Overtime ended with the puck on Crosbyâ€™s stick deep in the Vancouver zone, but no time left to make a wraparound. He had another chance to end the game in the shootoutâ€™s third round, but Luongo came up with another save.

Sid Speaks:
â€œThe first (penalty shot), I thought I had it, I looked back and if I get it up a bit more itâ€™s a goal. The second one I probably rushed a bit more because the puck rolled on me. Those are opportunities you thrive on.â€

Lamplighters:
Regulation time goals came from Pittsburghâ€™s Petr Sykora in the first period and Vancouverâ€™s Ryan Kesler in the third.

Goat of the Game:
Despite stopping 31 of 32 Penguinsâ€™ shots, Luongo was nutmegged by Letang in round six of the shootout and is now 0-for-three in the showdown tiebreaker this season. The previous two losses were against the Edmonton Oilers.

Stupid Game Stat:
Saturday was Penguinsâ€™ goaltender Dany Sabourinâ€™s first start at GM Place, despite spending the 2006-2007 season with the Canucks. He was 2-5 in nine regular season games and made two no-decision playoff appearances for Vancouver. The second was his crucial appearance in relief of a suddenly ill Luongo to start overtime in game five of the Western conference final against Anaheim. It took until Dec. 9, 2006 for Sabourin to play four games with Vancouver. Saturday was his 13th for the Penguins. He is now 6-5.
â€œRoberto made me better playing with him last year and Sidney makes me better this year, when he shoots against me all the time in practice,â€ Sabourin said.

What Rhymes With Sidney:
Fan sign in the south end: â€œIâ€™d Give A Kidney to Make Out With Sidneyâ€

Class Act:
Last time the Canucks hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 9, 2003, they called on University of B.C. Thunderbirdsâ€™ goaltender Chris Levesque as an emergency backup because Dan Cloutier pulled a groin in practice. Levesque took a few hours out of exam studies at Point Grey for a storybook trip downtown to the NHL. He almost saw action when Canucksâ€™ starter Johan Hedberg went down in a collision. Levesque didnâ€™t know what was going on initially.
â€œI couldnâ€™t even see what was going on, (Todd) Bertuzzi was standing up and obviously you canâ€™t see through that guy,â€ he said during a first intermission interview shown on the GM Place scoreboard.

Next up:
The Canucks begin a three-game, four-night tour of California against the Los Angeles Kings on Monday (7:30 p.m. Team 1040/Sportsnet).

SRsez wrote:And yet again, Kesler's the best player for the Canucks, while our six million dollar man is invisible.

Are you seriously saying that Naslund was invisible? I thought him and the Sedins were the only line that even vaguely threatened, and it hadn't been for the momentum shift they create Kesler would never have scored. Kess did a good job shutting down Crosby, but other than the goal he scored he was invisible offensively. Naslund on the other hand, while not all world, did a pretty good job leading our offence.

Naslund on the other hand, while not all world, did a pretty good job leading our offence.

Leading them where, exactly? Our offense, in case you weren't paying attention, was terrible last night. Okay, maybe it was a "road game at home", and thus can be forgiven, but that doesn't get sugar coated to "pretty good job".

lh wrote:Kess did a good job shutting down Crosby, but other than the goal he scored he was invisible offensively.

You're on drugs, right? Which ones?

Kesler scored the tying goal. He made Crosby 0-0-0 & -1. You're suggesting he didn't do enough? That Naslund somehow did better?